Apparatus for use in poultry-houses



(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 1. G. L. PITTMAN.

APPARATUS FOR USE IN POULTRY HOUSES. No. 553,016. Patented Jan. 14, 1896.

A W llllllhmllllffll (No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

G. L. PITTMAN. APPARATUS FOR USE IN POULTRY HOUSES. 016.

, Patented Jan. 14, 1896.

UNITED STATES PATENT FFICE.

CLYDE L. PITTMAN, OF CANTR-IL, IOYVA.

APPARATUS FOR USE IN POULTRY-HOUSES.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 553,016, dated January 14, 1896.

Application filed September 24,1894. $erial No. 523,964. (No model.)

ratus for Use in Poultry-Houses, of which the following is a specification.

The invention relates to improvements in apparatus for use in poultry-houses.

The object of the present invention is to provide for poultry-houses and the like a simple and inexpensive apparatus which will enable the fowl to be kept under complete control and maintained in a healthy condition and which may be readily separated and assembled to facilitate cleaning, packing, and shipping. r

The invention consists in the construction and novel combination and arrangement of parts hereinafter fully described, illustrated in the accompanying drawings, and pointed out in the claims hereto appended.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a perspective view of an apparatus constructed in accordance with this invention. Fig. 2 is a side elevation partly in section. Fig. 3 is a transverse sectional view. Fig. 4c is a detail perspective view of the supporting-frame. Fig. 5 is a similar view of one of the nests.

Like numerals of reference indicate like parts in all the figures of the drawings.

1 designates corner-posts of a supportingframe, having secured to their upper ends top end bars, 2, and side bars, 3, which are let into the end bars slightly, the end bars projecting beyond the side bars. The cornerposts to which the said end and side bars are bolted to permit ready removal in separating the parts for shipment have secured to their inner side edges lower side bars, 4, connected adjacent to the posts by cross-pieces 5. The upper side and end bars support adetachable roost-platform 6, and the lower side bars have arranged on them a nest-sup porting platform 7.

The nest-supporting platform is detachably secured upon the supporting-frame by means hereinafter described. It is composed of two separable sect-ions, preferably constructed of matched flooring or the like; and it has mounted above it a transverse series of longitudinally'disposed roosts 8, which are composed of longitudinal bars and are supported above the platform 6 by vertical pins 9. The pins 9 have their upper ends arranged in corresponding sockets of the roost-bars and they pass through perforations 10 of the roostplatform, and their lower ends enter sockets 11 of the upper end bars, 2, whereby the platform 6 is detachably secured upon the supporting-frame. The pins are removable from the roost-bars in order that the parts may be readily separated for convenient packing and shipping, and the platform 6 is provided with marginal flanges 12, consisting of strips provided with depending dowel-pins 13 and having their upper edges beveled sufficiently to prevent fow s from roosting upon them. The dowel-pins enter corresponding sockets of the platform and the strips 12 serve to connect the sections of the platform 6 and to prevent any accumulation on the platform from being brushed therefrom onto the other parts of the apparatus. Each section of the platform (3 is preferably provided on its lower face with three cleats, the center one, 1%, fitting in are cess 15 of the adjacent side bar, 3, and the end ones, 16, being arranged beyond the supporting-frame;

The nest-platform is composed of two separable sections arranged upon the lower side bars, 4, and provided on their lower faces with cleats 17, fitting in corresponding recesses 18 of the said side bars, 4. A series of nests is located at each side of the apparatus and is supported upon the adjacent section of the nest-platform, and each nest consists of arectangular box 19, provided with an entrance-opening 20 at the front and having a removable bottom 21, supported by cleats 22 and adapted to be readily taken out when desired. The sections of the nest-platform project out slightly beyond the row of nests to form an alighting-ledge.

The series of nests are separated at their rear walls by a removable longitudinal bar 23, provided at its ends with projections 24, fitting in recesses 25 of the end bars, 2, whereby the separating-bar 23 depends from the end bars and is interposed between the nests.

In order to exclude hens from the nest at night and to prevent them from roosting on the same and to cause them to use the roosts 8, sliding doors or strips or cut-offs 26 are arranged in ways 27 at the sides of the apparatus. The ways are formed by verticallydisposed inner and outer cleats, the outer ones, 28, terminating below the side bars and forming spaces 29, through which the sliding doors or strips may be passed when'it is desired to remove the same or to insert them in the ways. The sliding doors or strips are operated. by cords 30, each consisting of two branches 3]. and 32, and extending outside the apparatus and terminating inv loops 33, adapted to engage projections or pins 3i to hold the doors at the desired adjustment. The inner terminals of the branches are arranged in grooves 35 of the top of the frame. The branch or portion 31 extends downward along the inner face of the adjacent cornerpost and is attached to the adjacent end of the sliding door, and the other branch extends longitudinally of the apparatus to the opposite end post and passes through an eye 36 and depends therefrom to the adjacent end of the door, to which it is attached. By drawing down on the cords the sliding doors are raised at each end simultaneously, and by slackening the cords the doors are lowered. The doors normally rest upon the platform 7 and expose the entrance-openings of the nests, and at night when it is desired to exclude the fowls the sliding doors are raised to close the entrances. In the morning they are lowered to allow access to the nests.

A pair of feed-troughs 37 are located at opposite sides of the apparatus a short distance above the ground, and are detachably ar ranged in recesses 38 of endbars, 39, and are disposed directly beneath the lower side bars, 4. The latter divide the troughs 37 and prevent fowls from entering them and injuring the food, and this arrangement permits fowls to pass under the apparatus and eat from either side of each feed-trough.

Transverse troughs or receptacles 41 and 42 are located at the ends of the apparatus and project outward therefrom and have their bottoms arranged slightly below those of the feed-troughs. The transverse trough 41 is divided into a series of compartments by partitions 43, and is designed to contain lime, grit, and the like, and fowls are excluded from getting into the compartments by a bar or strip at secured to the upper edges of the par titions andthe ends of the transverse trough or receptacle 41. The other receptacle, 42, is

provided with a sliding front 45, arranged in grooves of the end pieces, to permit drinkingvessels to be placed within the receptacle or trough, which is preferably divided into two compartments. This trough or receptacle has a strip 4E6 secured to the upper edges of its ends and the central partition, and by these means fowls are prevented from upsetting the drinking-vessels.

The ends of the framework are closed by slats i7 arranged at intervals and adapted to exclude fowls from the interior of the framework.

The roost-platform, besides serving as such, prevents any dirt or accumulation from falling upon any of the parts beneath it, and it forms a covering for the nests. The upright pins, besides forming supports for the roosts, serve to detachably secure the roostplatform to the framework.

It will be seen that the apparatus is simple and comparatively inexpensive in construc tion, that the parts may be readily separated for cleaning, packing, and shipment, the parts of the supporting-frame being bolted or screwed together to facilitate ready separa tion. struction of the apparatus herein shown and described the fowls are under perfect control.

that they may be maintained healthy, and that the food distributed to them cannot be spoiled or wasted.

Changes in the form, proportion, and the minor details of construction may beresorted to without departing from the principle or sacrificing any of the advantages of this invention.

hat I claim is v 1. In an apparatus for poultry houses and thelike, the combination of a supporting frame provided at its top with a platform, a

. series of roost-bars, and detachable pins supporting the roost-bars above the platform an d passing through the latter into the frame and detachably securing the platform thereto. substantially as described.

2. In an apparatus for poultry houses and the like, the combination of a supporting frame provided at its top with sockets, a roost platform mounted upon the supporting frame and provided with perforations correspondin g with the sockets, said platform being composed of two separable sections, strips arranged at the edges of the sections and interlocking with the same and connecting them. a series of roost-bars arranged at intervals. and pins supporting the roost-bars and pass ing through the perforations of the platform and fitting in the sockets of the supporting frame, substantially as described.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing my own I have hereto affixed my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

CLYDE L. PITTMAS. lVitnesses:

F. M. HENDRICKS, J OHN R. STEVENS.

It will also be seen that by the con- 1 

